License-tag seal



June 4, 1929. J. KIGER LICENSE TAG SEAL Filed May 1v, 1928 Patented lime4, 1929,

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I ansa cantar LUTHER J. KIGrER, GF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSTGNOR TONATIONAL AUTO TAG' SEAL CORPORATION, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ACORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

LICENSE-TAG SEAL.

Application led May 17, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in license tag seals andhas reference more particularly to improvements over lmy prior Patent,No. 1,636,778, granted July 26, 1927.

One of the important objects ofthe present invention is to provide alicense tag seal wherein the same includes an identiiication tag holderthat is encased within a transparent housing so that the indicia on theidentification card may be readily and easily viewed.

A further object resides in the provision of an identification cardholder wherein the identification card cannot be removed withoutbreaking the transparent housing, or

y lotherwise disrupting the holder whereby to indicate that the vehicleequippedv with the identification card holder is being driven by anunauthorized person.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a license tag sealthat can be readily and easily assembled, means being provided wherebythe license tage will be secured against rattling when the presentinvention is associated with the license A further object is to providea license tag seal of the above mentioned character which is simple inconstruction, inexpensive, strong and durable and further well adaptedto the purpose for which it is designed.

3 Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

v In the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a front end elevation of the license tag seal per se.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the license tag seal showing the mannerin which the same is associated with a license tag, an identication cardbeingshown arranged within the holder.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the holder and showingthe license tag supporting strap member associated therewit Figure 4; isan elevational view ot the outer sleevey forming a part of theidentification card holder, and Figure 5 is a similar view of the innersleeve.

f In the drawing wherein for the purpose Serial No. 273,502.

of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, thenumeral 1 designates generally my improved license tag seal, the samecomprising an elongated sheet metal strip 2 that is bent intosubstantially U-shaped formation., the bight portion 3 thereof beingdisposed through a Isuitable opening 5 provided therefor in theintermediate portion of the license tag 5 so that said arms of the U'-shaped member will be disposed on opposite sides of the upper portion ofthe tag. The innermost arm is formed at its upper end portion with anopening 6 that is adapted to register with an opening 7 formed in theupper edge portion et the license tag 5 and the upper end of the outerarm is also formed with an opening shown at 8 in Figure 3 Jfor a purposeto be presently described.

An elongated. bolt 9 extends through the registering openings in theupper ends of the.

arms of the tl-shaped member 2, and the opening 7 formed in the upperedge portion of the license tag 5, the head 10 of this bolt beingadapted for engagement with the outer face of the upper end portion ofthe outer arm of the U-shaped member. The other end of this bolt isformed with a tapered portion llrthat terminates inwardly of the :treeend of the bolt whereby a shoulder 12 is formed at the juncture of thesmaller end of the tapered portion 11 with the free end portion of thebolt as shown very clearly in Figure 3. A nut 13 is threaded on the boltfor disposition between the apertured ends of the arms of the U-shapedmember 2, and the manner in which this nut cooperates with the licensetag or plate 5 will also presently be described.

As shown in Figure 1, the outer face of the outermost arm of theU-shaped member 2 may have'printed or otherwise arranged thereonsuitable indicating indicia such as the year for which the license tagis issued. y

Also forming a salient part of the present invention is anident-ilication card holder, and the same comprises an outer elongatedmetallic sleeve 14, the inner end of this sleeve being formed with anoutwardly disposed annular flange 15. Secured on the inner end portionof this sleeve 14 in any appropriate manner is the collar 16 that isformed on its outer face at its perimeter, with the lange 17.

The cylindrical sleeve 14 is formed in its intermediate portion with thediametrically opposed spring fingers 18 that extend longitudinally withrespect to the sleeve and the outer free ends of these spring lingersare disposed inwardly within the cylinder or sleeve to form a restrictedpassage.

rfhe identification card holder further includes the provision of aninner metallic elongated sleeve 19 which is of a smaller diameter thanthe sleeve 14, and also the inner sleeve is shorter than the outersleeve and this is clearly illustrated in Figure 3. Formed on the innerend of the inner sleeve 19 is the enlarged head 20, while the other endof the inner sleeve is formed with an outwardly disposed annular flange21. A collar 22 has its hub portion 23 ixedly secured on the outer endportion of the inner sleeve 19, and an annular flange 24 is formed atthe outer edge of the collar.

The collar 22 is formed with a circumferential channel 25 in one facethereof, as shown in Figure 3 for a purpose to be presently apparent.

A pair of longitudinally extending elongated spring lingers 26 is formedin the intermediate portion of the sleeve 19 at diametrically oppositepoints, and the free ends of these spring fingers are directed inwardly.As .shown in the drawing, the free ends of the spring fingers 18 aredisposed adjacent the inner end of the card holder while the free.

Vthis housing is preferably constructed of glass, although any othertransparent material may be used. The identification card 28 whichcontains suitable identification data, such as the name of the owner ofthe vehicle, the address of th-e owner and other data pertaining to thevehicle with reference to the serial number of the motor and the like isrolled into tube formation for disposition within the glass cylindricalhousing 27.

In assembling the identification card holder, t-he cylindrical housing27 with the identification card 28 arranged therein is vslipped over theouter metallic sleeve 14 so that the inner end of the housing willengage with the inner face of the collar 16 and will be disposed againstthe inner face of the annular flange 17. The inner sleeve 19 is theninserted through the outer end of the outer sleeve 14, the head 2Oformed on the inner end of the inner sleeve forcing the spring fingers18 outwardly until the head passes beyond the free ends of the springfingers 18 tively securing the transparent housing, and theidentification card arranged therein in a sealed manner.

The identification card holder as a unit is then slid over the free endportion of the bolt 9, the spring fingers 26 that are associated withthe inner sleeve 19 being forced outwardly until the shoulder 12 passesbeyond the free ends of these spring fingers whereupon said springlingers will spring inwardly and engage with the shoulder and thetapered portion 11 to lock the identification card holder on the boltand the flanged inner end of the sleeve 14 will be in engagement withthe inner face of the upper end portion gf the adjacent arm of theU-shaped mem- By turning the nut 13 in one direction, the

same will engage with the outer face of the license tag or plate 5 andwill positively clamp the same against the inner arm of the U- shapedmember so that rattling of the license tag will be prevented.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that I haveprovided a license tag seal that can be readily and easily assembled andattached to a tag whereby the tag cannot be removed without disruptingthe seal and furthermore the identification card 28 cannot be removedfrom its holder unless the glass housing is broken, and this willindicate that an unauthorized person is driving the vehicle.

By mounting the identification card in the manner as shown anddescribed, the same will. at all times be readily visible for inspectionby the proper authorities.

The simplicity of my device enables the same to be manufactured at avery low cost, and furthermore my device will at all times be positiveand eflicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a license tag Y formedwith a pair of spaced openings, a substantially U-shaped member havingits bight portion disposed through one of its openings, the arms of theU-shaped member being disposed on opposite sides of the license tag, thefr ee ends of the arms of the U-shaped member being formed with openingsregistering with the other opening in the `license tag, a bolt disposedthrough the aforesaid registering openings, and an identification cardholder secured on the freeY end of the bolt.

2. In combination, a license tao' formed with a pair of spaced openings,ly U-shaped member having its bight pora substantialtion disposedthrough one of its openings, the arms of the U-shaped member beingdisposed on opposite sides of the license tag, the free ends of the armsof the U-shaped member being formed with openings registering with theother opening in the license tag, a bolt disposed through the aforesaidregistering openings, an identification card holder secured on the freeend of the bolt, and a nut threaded on the bolt for disposition betweenthe free ends of the arms of the U-shaped member for securing thelicense tag in a rigid position.

3. In combination, a license tag formed with a pair of spaced openings,a substantially U-shaped member having its bight portion disposedthrough one of its openings, the arms of the U-shaped member beingdisposed on opposite sides of the license tag, the free ends of the armsof the U-shaped member being formed with openings registering with theother opening in the license tag, a bolt disposed through the aforesaidregistering openings, an identification card holder secured on the freeend of the bolt, and cooperating means between the identification cardholder and the bolt for permanently secur` ing the holder on the bolt.

4. An identification card holder comprising in combination inner andouter sleeves, a cylindrical transparent housing for an identificationcard encircling the outer sleeve, flanged collars on the inner and outerends of the outer and inner sleeves respectivelyv for engagement withthel respective ends of' the transparent housing, and cooperating meansbetween said sleeves for securing the same together against slidingmovement to lock the fianged collars in engagement with the transparenthousing.

5. An identification card holder comprising in combination inner andouter sleeves, a cylindrical transparent housing for an identiiicationcard encircling the outer sleeve, flanged collars on the inner and outerends of the outer and inner sleeves respectively for engagement with therespective ends of the transparent housing, and cooperating meansbetween said sleeves for securing the same together against sliding`movement to lock the flanged collars in engagement with the transparenthousing, said means including an inwardly disposed spring finger carriedby the outer sleeve, and a shoulder on the inner sleeve with which thefree end of the spring finger engages.

6. An identification card holder comprising in combination inner andouter sleeves,

a cylindrical transparent housing for an identification card encirclingthe outer sleeve, flanged collars on the inner and outer ends ofl theouter and inner sleeves respectively for engagement with the respectiveends of the transparent housing, cooperating means between said sleevesfor securing the same tol gether against sliding movement to lock theflanged collars in engagement with the transparent housing, means forattaching the card holder to a support, said attaching means including abolt extending through the support, and disposed within the innersleeve, and cooperating means between the boltand the inner sleeve tolock the card holder against sliding movement with respect to the boltin one direction.

8. An identification card holder comprising in combination inner andouter sleeves, a cylindrical transparent housing for an identificationcard encircling the outer sleeve, flanged collars on the inner and outerends of the outer and inner sleeves respectively for engagement with therespective ends of the transparent housing, cooperating means betweensaid sleeves for securing the same t0- gether against sliding movementto lock the fianged collars in engagement with the transparent housing,and means for attaching the card holder to a support, said attachingmeans including a bolt extending through the support, and disposedwithin the inner sleeve, and cooperating means between the bolt and theinner sleeve to lock the card 4holder against sliding movement withrespect to the bolt in one direction, the last mentioned meanscomprising an inwardly disposed spring finger carried by the innersleeve, and a shoulder formed on the bolt with which the free end of thespring finger engages.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LUTHER J. Krenn.

